Illuminated wall partition divider



June 18, 1968 s. R. SHEMITZ ILLUMINATED WALL PARTITION DIVIDER 2 Sheets-Sham l Filed Jan. 17, 1966 R L wlw m mm m WM A R. W. n d m w d D m H A@ m .d/f u \\w l f m /42 H 4 June 18, 1968 Filed Jan. 17, 1966 S. R. SHEMITZ ILLUMINATED WALL PARTITION DIVIDER fax,.-

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Deaf@ s 'mm United States Patent O 3,389,246 lLLUMINATlll) lith/alii, PARTHTlN Dill/IDEE): Sylvan ll. Sirenetta, Sunbroek lidad, Woodbridge, Conn. @6525 anni aan. i7, lass, ser. Na. saines 3 tlaims. (Cl. 24d-2) AESTRACT l? THE DlSClLUSURlE A room divider partition for dividing a room into work areas, at the same time providing direct illumination over a desk or the like positioned adjacent thereto and simultaneously providing light for indirectly illuminating the remainder `of the room. The room divider has a divider partition panel which includes a portion `constructed for standing on the iloor of the room, a frame extending and supported along substantially the entire length of the divider partition panel opposite the portion of the divider partition panel constructed to stand on the floor. This frame overhangs a portion of the divider partition panel, the frame being open on the bottom and top, and provided with illuminating means positioned and supported in said frame.

This invention relates to room dividers and more particularly to a room divider which is capable of providing illumination for a desk or table while simultaneously providing light for illuminating the remainder of the room.

As the building industry has developed in recent years, more and more office and manufacturing buildings have been constructed such that full and partial partitions may be moved so that the interior of the building may at different times serve different purposes. Even though buildings have been constructed so :as to permit the shifting of partitions, the extent of movement of partitions has remained limited since most buildings have continued to use fixed position overhead lighting. The lack of mobility for overhead lighting has greatly limited the use of partial partitions in particular, since additional lighting is usually provided for desk or table use, depending on the room configuration. Even when additional desk or table lighting is provided, shadows are cast around portions of the room due to the position of the overhead lighting xture in relation to the position of the partition. Thus an unsatisfactory amount of illumination is provided throughout the areas sectioned off by the partitions.

Therefore, in order to illuminate the objectionable features of partial partitions when overhead lighting is utilized, applicant has provided new and improved room dividers which not only provide illumination for desk or table use, but simultaneously provide illumination for the remainder of the room including the enclosure which the dividers are used to provide. The use of this type of divider permits overhead lighting fixtures to be eliminated where appropriate in building construction, as well as eliminating the need for additional desk or table illumination.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide new and improved means for dividing a room into work areas as well as means for simultaneously illuminating the room.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved divider which provides illumination for a desk or table positioned adjacent thereto, as well as illumination for the room in which the divider is positioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved divider which is capable of providing desk or table illumination for two desks or tables, positioned 3,389,246 Patented June 18, 1968 ice on either side thereof, as well as illumination for the remainder of the room.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts in the several views, and in which:

FG. 1 is a sectional view of a room showing the use of `a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention with parts cut away therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line d-l of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a modified form according to the invention; yand FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing an alternate arrangement according to the invention.

Referring to FIG. l, there is shown a sectional view of a room 10 having the usual rside walls, ceiling and floor. As can be noted from this ligure, the room is not provided with any overhead fixtures or any other means of lighting affixed to either the side walls or the ceiling. Positioned in the room, for the purpose of illustration, is a plurality of desks l1, or tables as the case may be, and chairs 12. In order to divide the room into the semiprivate or private areas, there is provided a plurality of partial partitions or room dividers 15 according to the invention. One of the dividers l5 is positioned between two adjacent desks, such that there is formed two semiprivate work areas. The dividers 15 are preferably of a height such that the light emanating downwardly at 16 and the light emanating upwardly at 17 illuminate the remainder of the work space without glare to the individual while he is sitting at the desk, or standing. The height of the divider 15 is preferably chosen such that it is lower than standing eye height, but higher than sitting eye height of a person using the desk.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 2-4, wherein the divider is shown to include :a base member 2li having lengthwise side panels 21 aiixed thereto. Extending along the length of the base 20 is a vertical-extending interior support member 22 which is affixed at either end to the panels 21. There is preferably positioned on either side of the member 22 acoustical material in the form of panels, tiles and the like, as shown at 23. These are preferably utilized to prevent cross-talk or noise from passing through the divider yso as to further insure the privacy between work areas and to absorb sounds.

There is provided a panel frame 25 which has portions overhanging either side of the member 22. The frame 25 comprises end panel members 26, one of which is not shown, and side panel members Z7. The panel frame 25 is supported `by the side panels 21 and, if desired, may be supported by or from the member 22. Positioned within the panel frame 25 is a lighting fixture shown at 30. The lighting fixture 30 is supported from the member 22 and preferably has a pair of fluorescent tubes 31. As shown, one of the fluorescent tubes 31 is in one section of the frame 25, such that one desk may 'be illuminated, and the other tube is in the other section of the frame so that assente another desk positioned adjacent to the first desk but on the other side of the divider may be illun'iinated. lt is to be understood that more than one fiuorescent tube may be utilized on either side of the lighting xture so as to provide additional illumination for the desks or tables positioned below. As can be seen, the paneling Z6 and Z7 forms loverhanging portions on either side of the section 22, such that there is provided downward illumination to the desks or tables positioned on either side ot the divider.

Supported above the lighting lixture 3d and mounted in the panels 936 and 27 is a light control device such as a louvered device, a baille deile'ctor, a control reflector, lens or the like, 35, for directing light vertically and upwardly at the ceiling. Additionally, there may be provided a pair of light control devices 33 for downwardly directing light emitting from the tluorescent tubes 3l. rEhe distance from the tloor to the upper device 3S is preferably l5-5.6' so as to prevent glare from disturbing an individual who maybe sitting at the desk, or an individual who may be walking around the room.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a modified form of the invention. The modied form of the invention comprises a partition or room divider for providing illumination for a single desk or table while simultaneously providing overhead illumination. This conguration room divider is particularly suitable for positioning against a Wall. The modided form includes a frame dit having one fluorescent tu'be xture 41 and two light defiecting battles 43 and 44. The fixture and the frame are supported by a supporting member 46, such that downward-going illumination is emitted on one side of the partition.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a diagrammatic view of an alternate embodiment of a room divider according to the invention. The main divider panel is shown at 50 and includes three curvilinear reflectors such as mirrors or metallic rellecting surfaces Sil-53 positioned such that illumination provided from a light source 54 is directed upwardly as shown by the arrows 56 and is also directed downwardly as shown by the arrows 57. The reflectors 5l-53 are preferably positioned within the connes of the frame of the divider as shown in FIGS. 1 4. As shown, the reflectors 52 and 53 are positioned such that there is an opening 59 to permit rays 56 to be emitted upwardly to illuminate the room. The rellectors 52 and 53 are also positioned above and adjacent the reflector 5l and the light source 54, such that light is retlected from the reileotor 5l and some of the light emanating directly from the source 54 is directed downwardly to illuminate a desk or table positioned against the divider panel 50. It is to lbe understood that in place of the fluorescent tubes shown, other light sources such as incandescent, quartz, electroluminescent and gaseous discharge devices may also be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are eiciently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specic features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of langu-age, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

l. A room divider partition for dividing a room into work areas, at the same time providing direct illumination over a desk or the like positioned adjacent thereto and simultaneously :roviding light for indirectly illuminating the remainder of the room, the room divider having a divider partition panel which includes a portion constructed for standing on the floor of the room, a frame extending and supported along substantially the entire length of the divider partition panel opposite the portion ot the divider partition panel constructed to stand on the lloor, said frame overhanging a portion of the divider partition panel, the frame open on the bottom and top thereof, illuminating means positioned yand supported in said frame, and wherein there is included three curvilinear rellectors positioned about said illuminating means, the rst and second of said reflectors positioned to permit light to be emitted upwardly and outwardly from said frame and to cause light from the illuminating means and the third reliector to be directed downwardly and outwardly from said frame.

2. A room divider partition for dividing a room having a iloor into work areas, at the same time providing direct illumination over a desk or the like positioned adjacent thereto and simultaneously providing light for indirectly illuminating the remainder of the room, the room divider having a divider partition panel means, a frame extending and supported along substantially the entire length of the divider partition panel means, said frame overhanging a portion of the divider partition panel means, the frame open on the bottom and top thereof, and illuminating means positioned and supported in said frame, a member selected from lthe class consisting of deflector and reflector means supported by said frame, the height of the frame from the door on which the partition is positioned such that it is lower than the normal standing eye-height but higher than the normal seated eye-height of an adult person.

3. A room divider partition for dividing a room having a door intro work areas, at the same time providing direct illumination over a desk lor the like positioned adjacent thereto and simultaneously providing light for indirectly illuminating the remainder of the room, the room divider having a divider partition panel means, a frame extending and supported along substantially the entire length of the divider partition panel means, said frame overhanging a portion of tho divider partition panel means, the frame open on the bottom and top thereof, illuminating means positioned and supported in said trame, and a member selected from the class consisting of a retlector and a baille supported by said frame, the height of said frame is between about 4.5 feet to 5.6 feet above the door on which the partition is positioned.

Reerences llited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,125,319 8/1938 Schlumbohm 24S- 8l 2,715,449 8/1955 Lernmerman et al 240--9 2,759,093 S/l956 Ferar etal 24U-9 3,076,892 2/1963 Stiffel 240--81 NORTON ANSI-1ER, Primair;-7 Examiner.

n OHN M. HORAN, Examiner. L) DAVID L. JACOBSON, JOSEPH F. PETERS, IR.,

Assistant Examiners. 

